How to Make a Wedding Playlist: Tips from Top Wedding DJs
Weddings are wonderful celebrations of love that can be sublime, unforgettable, and nothing short of magnificent with the right music. That’s why a thoughtfully curated wedding playlist can electrify any event, creating the ideal atmosphere as it takes your guests on a fun, fantastic, and touching journey on your big day.
Masterfully devising these wedding playlists requires careful consideration, deep music knowledge, and just the right touch.
To fast-track that for any upcoming nuptials, here’s an insider’s guide to creating a flawless wedding playlist, with insights from experienced wedding DJs on:
This guide shares the essentials in under ~3 minutes, so couples can dive into their wedding music and playlist creation with ease. When you’re ready for a quote for a wedding DJ, wedding videography, wedding photography, and/or special add-ons (like confetti, photo booths, and more), simply contact Deux Weddings & Events.
How to Create a Perfect Wedding Playlist: 10 Pro Wedding DJ Tips
The most unforgettable wedding playlists strike a perfect balance between sentimental favorites, party anthems, and cherished personal picks, creating a unique soundtrack that:
Reflects the couple’s personalities and sentiments
Brings every guest to the dance floor
Creates lasting memories.
The experienced wedding DJs at Deux Weddings have crafted countless playlists for all different types of nuptials and couples. Compiling their go-to tips and insider know-how, our wedding DJs have put together 10 must-use tips below that any couple can use to get on the right path to creating an amazing wedding playlist.
1. Start with the BIG Moments.
Weddings are full of “key” moments, like:
Entrances and exits, like the grand entrance and the final send-off
Special dances, like the first dance, a father-bride dance, and a mother-groom dance
Other crucial moments, like the cake cutting, the bouquet toss, and more
Selecting meaningful songs for these moments can be a great place to start your wedding playlist. In fact, these ‘marquee’ moments and impactful songs can start to create ‘anchors’ in your playlist while beginning to establish the tone and vibe you want for your special day.
2. Align the Mood with the Timeline.
Divide your playlist into sections that match the progression of the ceremony. Specifically, these sections can defined by:
The hour: What will your guests listen to during the first, second, third, fourth, and subsequent hours of your reception? Some wedding playlists are mapped out by each hour of the event, often culminating with party jams for a fun finish following hours-long celebrations.
The activities: Breaking down each of the essential activities that happen during the reception can “fill in the blanks” around the BIG moments, highlighting other delightful happenings that could be far more enjoyable with the right musical backdrop.
No matter which method you opt for here, the flow of your playlist should mirror and enhance the exact moment, as well as the overall progression of your wedding.
3. Know Your Audience.
Consider your guests, their ages, and their potential musical preferences.
While you may love niche genres, try to include a mix of:
Classics
Modern hits
Party favorites
This can help all of your guests feel welcome, included, and inspired to party it up on the dance floor!
4. Incorporate Crowd-Pleasers.
Universally loved songs like “Shout” or “Uptown Funk” can instantly energize your guests and set the stage for marvelous moments, like an auntie moonwalking or huge groups doing the Gangnam Style dance.
Crowd-pleasers are almost always guaranteed to fill the dance floor — and create awesome pictures and even better memories.
5. Balance Genres.
Don’t go all in on one genre.
The best wedding playlists include a well-thought-out mix of several genres, including:
Pop
Rock
R&B
Dance tracks
And more, like oldies or country hits
This type of variety can keep the playlist fresh and exciting while ensuring there’s a little something for all guests who may have a wide variety of musical tastes.
6. Think About Transitions.
Song transitions can impact the mood, so try to group songs by tempo for smoother transitions.
For example, you don’t want a slow romantic ballad to immediately follow a high-energy song. Gradual shifts in tempo from one song to the next can ease transitions while subliminally preparing guests for the next part of the reception.
7. Limit Personal Favorites.
Your musical preferences DO matter, but your wedding playlist shouldn’t solely include your personal favorites.
In other words, you shouldn’t use a playlist you’ve made for yourself for your wedding.
Too many niche songs and a lack of variety can alienate guests and put a real damper on a reception.
8. Collaborate.
You and your partner should work on your wedding playlist, so it truly reflects your shared tastes and unique love story. If you feel stuck at any point, consider asking trusted friends, family, or loved ones about their musical preferences or favorite songs.
While you don’t have to use any or all of their suggestions, they could inspire you to think about other options that may not have crossed your mind yet.
9. Test It.
After putting together the “first draft” of your wedding playlist, listen to the whole thing before your big day.
As you do, listen for:
Flow
Balance
Variety
Transitions
Giving your wedding playlist a test run can help you identify any issues or hiccups that you may want to tweak while there’s still time to make changes.
10. Work with a Pro.
Professional wedding DJs can take the reins and craft the ideal wedding playlist for you, your partner, and your big day. That can come with some undeniably priceless advantages, like (and not limited to):
More time: It takes time to build a wedding playlist that’s well polished, and many couples (and wedding planners) don’t have any time to spare. A wedding DJ can take the lead here, taking some key responsibilities and work off of couples’ and wedding planners’ plates, so they have more time to devote to other preparations.
Reliable sound: Pro DJs have top-of-the-line sound equipment, and they know what it takes to produce flawless sound in any venue. That can make all the difference in ensuring that your wedding playlist sounds fantastic throughout the entire reception (instead of having to troubleshoot sound problems during the party).
Backup plans: Wedding DJs know that, sometimes, things don’t go as planned. That’s why the most experienced wedding DJs come equipped with backup plans and equipment, ready to pivot instantly if something goes off the rails. That can prevent disruptions on your special day, so everyone can carry on with celebrating, instead of wondering what happened to music or why the sound is so bad.
How Long Should a Wedding Playlist Be?
A wedding playlist should span the entire reception, with:
A handful of “extra” songs for longer events
Some “open” spots to handle special requests on the fly.
Since most nuptials and receptions last around 5 to 6 hours, it’s typically smart to compile a wedding playlist that’s ~6.5 hours long. That can provide substantial music for the party while preventing repetition and covering your bases if the afterparty lasts a little longer than anticipated.
How Many Songs Should Be on a Playlist?
This can be tricky to answer because weddings and individual songs can have different durations. That said, here are some general guidelines on how many songs it tends to take to fill the average time for different parts of a wedding:
| Part of the Wedding | Duration | Average # of Songs |
|---|---|---|
| Ceremony | ~30 min. | 5 to 10 songs |
| Cocktail Hour | ~60 mins. | 15 to 20 songs |
| Dinner | ~90 mins. | 20 to 30 songs |
| Dancing | ~2 to 3 hours | 40 to 60 songs |
Another way to gauge this is to:
Plan roughly 15 to 20 songs per hour.
Adjust the above estimates for special pauses, like speeches and toasts.
Always include extra tracks in case the timeline shifts for any reason.
25 Popular Wedding Playlist Songs
If you’re not sure where to get started with a wedding playlist — or if you’re just looking for a little inspiration as you dive in — here are 25 go-to tracks that tend to be across-the-board crowd-pleasers:
“At Last” by Etta James
“Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis Presley
“All of Me” by John Legend
“Marry You” by Bruno Mars
“I Gotta Feeling” by The Black Eyed Peas
“You Are the Best Thing” by Ray LaMontagne
“Dancing Queen” by ABBA
“September” by Earth, Wind & Fire
“Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars
“Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey
“Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift
“Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond
“Shout” by The Isley Brothers
“Happy” by Pharrell Williams
“Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson
“Crazy in Love” by Beyoncé ft. Jay-Z
“Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran
“My Girl” by The Temptations
“Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison
20. “Lovely Day” by Bill Withers
“Livin’ on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi
“Friends in Low Places” by Garth Brooks
“Time of My Life” by Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes
“Mr. Brightside” by The Killers
“The Way You Look Tonight” by Frank Sinatra
Why Hire a Wedding DJ?
DIY playlists can be fun for house parties, work outs, or chores. They’re not the best option for weddings, however — and they pale in comparison to the playlists, expertise, and finesse of professional wedding DJs.
That’s because wedding DJs can ensure:
Flawless Transitions: Smooth transitions between songs can maintain the right vibe and fun energy on the dance floor. They can also naturally lead to the next part of the celebration.
Tailored Playlists: Experienced DJs can curate one-of-a-kind playlists ideally tailored to the couple, the theme, their guests, and other key details. That can create the ideal musical backdrop for a once-in-a-lifetime celebration.
On-the-Fly Adjustments: A skilled DJ can read the room and make real-time adjustments to accommodate special requests, unplanned speeches, and so much more.
Professional Equipment: DJs bring high-quality sound systems, backup equipment, extension cords, and more to ensure minimal challenges and the best possible sound experience.
Seamless Coordination: DJs can work with other vendors, including wedding planners, to move the celebration forward, make adjustments, and minimize any disruptions.
At Deux Weddings & Events, we specialize in crafting unforgettable moments with custom wedding soundtracks. Our luxury wedding DJs bring passion, professionalism, and creativity to every event, creating custom wedding playlists that perfectly reflect each couple’s unique love story.
Let’s Talk Wedding DJs, Playlists, Music & More
When you’re ready to talk about playlists, music, sound, and more for your big day, contact Deux Weddings & Events.
With an extensive roster of experienced wedding DJs, bands, musicians, sound technicians, photographers, and more, we have extraordinary talent in nearly every major metro in the U.S. — and we are a provider of choice for couples and wedding planners who want turnkey solutions, seasoned professionals, and unbeatable wedding experiences.
Contact us for a quote, more answers, and quick responses. Our wedding DJs specialize in big and small events nationwide, as well as themed ceremonies, LGBTQ+ weddings, and more.
